Copa Argentina: River thrashed Atlanta and is in semifinals Marcelo Gallardo’s team beat Atlanta 4-1 in San Juan, with goals from Marcelo Saracchi, Ignacio Fernández, Gonzalo Martínez and Carlos Auzqui.

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The match began with no marked difference on behalf of any of the teams, even of Atlanta warned with two shots from outside the area that did not imply any danger for Germán Lux. River became stronger with the ball, touched it and passed it, but it found it difficult to create risky plays in the attack.

The first chances arrived near the end: Nacho Fernández could not define a one-to-one after an assist by Gonzalo Martínez and it was the number 10 who tried from far, but his shot went out very deflected. However, the shouts of excitement arrived towards the end and one after the other.

First, Ignacio Scocco served a goal to Marcelo Saracchi, who entered the are through the left and kicked an unstoppable shot for Rodrigo Lugo. In the following play, after a mistake on behalf of the last rival line, Nacho Fernández took advantage of a one-to-one and this time defined categorically to stamp the 2-0.

Thanks to the two lethal shots of the closing of the first half, River turned into the undisputed owner of the match in the second half. It generated many goal situations, the defense practically did not suffer (there was only one good intervention on Lux’s behalf) and it deserved to scored the third goal much sooner and thus amazingly close a good night.

Pity Martínez had the opportunity after a good play by Scocco and Enzo Pérez almost scores a spectacular goal after a stupendous individual play. Nicolás De La Cruz alos had a chance with a shot from far, the same as Nacho Fernández, but both attempts were caught by the rival goalkeeper.

After the entries of Carlos Auzqui and Ariel Rojas, these two players got together to lead the play for the third score, which arrived by means of Pity’s left-footed kick after a back pass from Rojas. Atlanta deducted through Adrián Martínez and in the following play, Auzqui struck a diving header for the final 4-1.

In this way, el Millonario summed up an impeccable night in San Juan and moved towards the semifinals of the Copa Argentina, where it shall wait for the winner of the match between Olimpo and Deportivo Morón. Meanwhile, next Tuesday it will play the first match against Lanús looking for a place in the final of the Copa Libertadores de América.